Adjustable hammer



May 20, 1969 L. c. ROTH ADJUSTABLE HAMMER Filed Oct. 17, 1966 INVENTOR. 100/5 6 2a) United States Patent 3,444,908 ADJUSTABLE HAMMER Louis C. Roth, Torrance, Calif., assignor to Tandy Leather Company, Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Oct. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 587,024 Int. Cl. B2511 1/00 US. Cl. 145-36 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a hammer construction.

The hammer of the invention is particularly adapted for use by hobbyists. One feature thereof is the provision of a head having a recess in one or both ends thereof in which is receivable one of a pair or more of different weight elements so that the weight of the head can be varied, depending upon the type of work engaged in at the time by the hobbyist. Where the head is provided with two recesses, two pairs of weights can provide a plurality of different weight combinations, as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hammer of the type described above, wherein the handle, which is customarily oval in cross-section can be inserted in the head in two positions, in one of two positions 90 apart, so that the hammer can be used in the normal manner by raising and lowering the forearm, or it can be used with the hammer swung at right angles to the forearm by merely twisting the wrist. This latter action is customarily utilized by persons carving designs in leather.

The above and other objects will more fully appear from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on the line 22 of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

In the drawing there is shown a hammer having a handle 6 and a head indicated generally at 8. The head includes a central outwardly cylindrical portion 10, each end of which has outwardly flared portions 12 defining end recesses 14, formed integrally with the head 8 and extending from the bottom of each recess 14 is a post 16. The outer end of each flared portion 12 is internally threaded at 18 to receive a striking face element 20. The striking face portion desirable is of a suitable hard plastic material. Interposed between the inner face of the striking face element 20 and the post 16 is a somewhat resilient disc 22 which provides a snug fit against the end of the post 16 so that said post will support the rear central portion of the striking face 20, and transmit shocks through said face to the central head portion 10. Located in each of the head recesses 14 are weights 24 and 26. These weights are shaped to conform -to the frusto conical shapes of the recesses 14 and have central apertures to slidably fit over the posts 16. They are of such height that their outer faces will engage the discs 22 which lie between the striking face elements 20 and the posts 16.

3,444,908 Patented May 20, 1969 As illustrated in FIG. 2, the weight 26 is solid, whereas the weight 24 is relieved at 28. Thus the weight 24 can, for example, be half the mass of the weight 26. By providing weights of this type, the hammer can be used with neither of the weights in the head. The weight 24 can be used alone, or the weight 26 can be used without the weight 24. With another pair of weights similar to weights 24 and 26, a number of variations of hammer head total weight can be secured. This is important in work such as leather decoration, wood carving, metal ornamentation, or the like, where different degrees of hammer force can be nicely controlled by varying its weight.

In the central cylindrical portion 10 of the hammer head 8 there is a transverse aperture 30 adapted to receive the end of the handle 6. It is noted that the handle end is ovate, and that said aperture 30 has major cross-sectional axes at right angles to each other. This permits the handle to be inserted in the head in either of two positions rotated one from the other.

The handle 6 is retained in the head by means of a wedge 32 having an enlarged portion 34 which conforms to the cross-sectional shape of the inserted end of the handle and, of course, to an ovate portion of the socket 30 along one of its major transverse axes.

The handle can be rotated 90 to permit the hammer to be used with two different types of hand or arm movements. With the handle inserted as in FIG. 2, the hammer is used by raising and lowering forearm in the customary manner of swinging a hammer. This is probably the usual manner in which the tool is used. However, when leather is being carved, the leather worker often likes to use the hammer by grasping it and merely twisting the wrist with the hammer handle at right angles to the forearm, or extending across the body. Heretofore, this type of hammer blow has been utilized but the leatherworking tool has been hit with the side of the hammer head because no provision has been made to rotate the head relative to the handle when the handle is gripped in the usual manner.

It should be understood that various changes can be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportions of the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A hammer comprising a handle, a head having an intermediate socket therein to receive said handle and a weight recess in each end, said head having a post connected therewith and extending from the bottom of each recess, an apertured weight mounted on each post and removably received in each recess, and striking face elements threadably capping said head for retaining said weight in said recesses.

2. A hammer as in claim 1, and at least one additional substitutable weight being of the same overall dimensions as the others, but of different mass.

3. A hammer as in claim 1, and said head having a non-circular two-way socket therein to receive the end of a similarly shaped handle, the socket shape being a duplication of that of the handle along both major transverse axes at right angles to each other.

4. A hammer as in claim 1, and said head having a non-circular two-way socket therein to receive the end of a non-circular handle, the socket shape being a duplication of the non-circular shape of the handle along both major transverse axes at right angles to each other, and a securing wedge driven into the end of said handle and having a portion of the same of non-circular shape as the handle, and fitting said socket along one of said axes.

5. A hammer as in claim 1, wherein said head includes a resilient gasket means in each recess between said striking face element and said weight.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED 2,864,417 12/1958 Scholten 145-30 STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Sanders et a1 145 36 X 592,900 10/1947 Great Britain. Clason 14529 X Johansson 5 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

Koster 14 R. V. PARKER, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

